Jessica Hathaway

Jessica Hathaway has been a fisheries reporter, editor, communications specialist, cheerleader, pot-stirrer, and industry consultant for 20 years, with an additional five years in maritime publishing before shifting exclusively to fisheries and seafood. She is an independent consultant and is also serving as the Communications and Outreach Manager for the Local Catch Network, cultivating vibrant and just community-based seafood systems.

Jes is based in Portland, Maine, is a founding member of NOAA’s American Fisheries Advisory Committee, a longstanding board member of Global Ocean Health, and served on the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s Communications Committee for six years.

During her tenure as editor-in-chief at National Fisherman, the publication of record for the U.S. commercial fishing industry, Jes also helped produce the conference program for Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle (formerly Fish Expo) as well as the program and guide for the show itself, Expo News.

Since leaving National Fisherman, her work has centered on building capacity and policy advising for community-based fisheries organizations around the country. Some of the highlights of that work include researching the intersection of indigenous fisheries and aquaculture with community-centered operations; creating accessible, industry-specific guidance for federal policy proposals and changes; in-person and virtual presentations to help seafood buyers understand some of the nuances of sustainability in the fisheries sector; leading conference panels that convene perspectives from community fisheries leaders around the country; engaging decision-makers at all stages of the supply chain to ease some of the food system challenges that seafood and harvesters face in the domestic marketplace.

Jes is also active in community engagement at the local level, working with her local school board to develop Family Engagement and Equity policies, and she serves on the Portland school district’s Family Partnership Advisory Committee, which centers the district’s multilingual community.